Veiled
by SvenTheRogueKnight
Summary: After turning eighteen a few months ago, the Earl of Remington is forced to face one of his toughest life challenges yet: marriage. His life takes an interesting turn when he learns that his potential fiancée always wears a veil to conceal her face...for good reason. 18th/19th Century AU. RoxasXSerah Farron three-shot. Multiple pairings inside. Rated T for later chapters.


**A/N: I've had this idea in mind for a very long time now—almost four years, actually. There are a couple of fics in this site that ship Roxas and Lightning, but I've always wondered what a Roxas/Serah pairing would always look like. I felt like Serah's laid-back, yet mischievous personality would mesh well with Roxas' cool one. Also, I would like to thank author allechant from the Vocaloid fandom for inspiring me to do this. I actually based this whole thing off one of her works. If you want to check it out, search for chapter 3 of her story titled "jump ship". It's a really nice, cute, fluffy Len x Miku piece for those of who are fans of that pairing. Anyways, I hope you enjoy guys. Please leave a review if you do because it really helps. Enjoy!**

* * *

"I have nothing against women, Mama" an irritated young man whined as he walked around the park with his mother.

The middle-aged woman beside him giggled in amusement "Really? Then why haven't you answered my question? Would you rather spend the rest of your life with your books then? Or is my little Roxas just being a tad bit fussier than usual?" she asked in a teasing tone.

Roxas frowned as he adjusted his great coat to shield himself better from the winter chill "I am not against getting married at all, Mama. It just feels wrong to take a girl I barely know as my bride without knowing whether or not we are compatible to be each other's spouse. I don't want to end up like Uncle Gippal and Auntie Rikku. Cousin Demyx always writes to me about how nasty their fights can get"

Yuna, his mother, shook her head as her eyes darkened at the mention of her dear cousin's husband "Your cousin's case is more of the exception than the rule. Most young nobles are arranged into marriages and things often turn out very well for the parties involved. Have you forgotten that your father and I were married essentially after a week we met? And here we are, happier than we ever could have imagined"

"I just don't want to be in a bad marriage, Mama" Roxas trailed with a grimace.

"And you won't be! Stop being such a pessimist" Yuna chided her youngest son lightly "As I was saying, you have three options – the Larsson family, the Blakewood family, and the Farron family's daughters. Xion Larsson is much younger than you, but her parents are interested in pairing the two of you up, provided that you are willing to wait five more years until she turns eighteen" Roxas' expression soured as he shook his head. He was only eighteen, so five years wasn't that big of an age gap. But given how the girl just became a teenager, they might find themselves in a much less than ideal situation.

"We might have trouble getting along at the start, Mama. Our interests may be too different, and we would have nothing to even talk about" he explained. If he was going to meet someone he would potentially marry, he might as well meet someone he can have a proper conversation with.

"Very well…there is Naminé Blakewood, who I am sure you know of. She is a kind, sweet, and beautiful young lady. She is the same age as you, unlike Xion. Her parents, as they have told your father and I, would be ecstatic to have you marry their only daughter" Roxas shook his head once again in refusal.

"A close friend of mine has been eying her for a while now. And from what I know, she fancies him as well. I do not wish to cause drama among our families, Mama" Roxas informed. It was true; his good friend, Axel Flameheart, had been pining for Naminé for years now. He was actually surprised his friend hadn't proposed yet.

Yuna exhaled in exasperation. "It is decided then; I will arrange a meeting between you and the Farron family's youngest daughter. I presume you've never heard of Serah Farron?" Roxas nodded "Very few actually have. While the Farron family is well-known among nobility for being almost as wealthy as the Royal Family, many are unaware that they have two daughters. Everyone knows about Claire—Lady Lightning herself—but very few know of Serah. She is rarely seen outside of the house, and in the rare occasion that she is, she is always seen wearing a veil to conceal her face. She apparently fell ill in her youth. Her illness was so foul that her face was terribly disfigured as a result" Yuna looked her son in the eye "Are you certain that you would not mind having an…unattractive wife?"

The look on his mother's face told him that she would throttle him if he did as much as move his head sideways. It was obvious that she was getting dangerously impatient with did not wish to anger his mother, so he would not say 'no' this time…well, at least not yet.

Despite his reluctance, his mother's last sentence caught his concern. The blond gulped before answering "We're just going to get to know each other, right? It's not like we'll get married as soon as we catch a glimpse of one another". He had to admit that the young woman's possible disfiguration unsettled him. But still, there was no harm in meeting in her. "Whether or not we get married depends on both of our decisions. Who knows? She may not like me either"

His mother, pleased with his decision to at least consider the offer this time, visibly relaxed. "We'll see about that" she replied curtly as she and her son began to head for the park's exit.

* * *

"Greetings, Earl of Remington" a feminine, yet firm voice greeted him as the large doors to the Farron Estate opened. The blond gulped. There stood the Marchioness of Victoria herself—Claire 'Lightning' Farron. "Please, come in" the pinkette offered, stepping aside to allow her visitor to enter the ginormous abode. Roxas gave the older Farron a polite bow before stepping inside.

Claire Farron, known to many as 'Lady Lightning', was one of the best soldiers in the country. She was an exceptional swordsman and a talented marksman. To this day she remains as the only woman in history to ever receive the title of Marchioness in her own right. Typically, the only way for a woman to earn the title of Marchioness was to marry a Marquess. This is not the case for Claire. Due to her prowess in combat, she did not need to marry to be recognized as a high-ranking noble by the Royal Family, as she was granted the title along with her own troops to command.

Claire closed the door behind him while a servant came over to assist him in removing his coat. He allowed the maid to take his thick winter coat from him and hang it up on the nearby coat rack. He mumbled his thanks to the dutiful woman before ruffling his hair to brush the snow off his spiky mane.

"I assume you're here to see my little sister?" the Marchioness asked, snapping the young man's attention back to her. He shivered when her piercing blue eyes met his own.

"Y-yes, My Lady, I am" as intimidated as he was, he knew that a woman of the Marchioness' standing deserved a verbal reply no matter the situation.

"Very well, please follow me"

Claire led him to the parlour, which was ridiculously spacious. Even if he was from a noble family, it was clear that the Farrons were just in an entirely different category. As they entered the large guest room, Claire's mother, the Duchess of Emmerson, wife of the Duke of Emmerson, and distant relative of Her Majesty herself, looked up from the book on her lap to stare at him.

He stopped and bowed "Good day, Your Grace The Duchess of Emmerson. I am the Earl of Remington, and I am here, as agreed upon, to meet your daughter, The Lady Serah Farron" he remarked in a tone he used only for the highest-ranking nobles.

The Duchess was beautiful; she essentially looked like an older version of the Marchioness, sharing the same pink hair, blue eyes, and white complexion as her daughter. Roxas off-handedly thought that if his potential fiancée looked vaguely like her then she must be absolutely gorgeous.

To his surprise the Duchess shot him a gentle smile and nodded "Good day to you as well, Earl. And please, be at ease. There is no need for formalities. I am aware of why you are here. Have a seat" the Duchess instructed as she gestured to the sofa seat to her left. "Claire, honey, could you please fetch your sister? Inform her that her guest has arrived"

"Of course, Mother" the Marchioness nodded and left.

Roxas did as instructed and sat near the Duchess. The Duchess turned to him, her book forgotten, and opened her mouth to speak "I hope all is well with you and your family, Earl. I am glad you decided to at least meet my daughter" she said with a smile. All of a sudden, the smile on the Duchess' lips faded, and her expression turned serious. Roxas almost got up to run for his life, but as a nobleman he knew he had an image to uphold. "I will be upfront with you, Earl. My beloved daughter requires a great deal of care. To say that her health is poor is a massive understatement. She has a remarkably weak constitution, especially in comparison to her older sister. Should you two marry, you must promise to take care of her to the best of your abilities. I do not want to see my daughter end up with someone who could not care less about her well-being. Is that clear?" the Duchess' eyes bored holes into his own ones, scrutinizing his very soul.

Roxas gulped but nonetheless nodded, not trusting his voice to respond to such a heavy remark.

The Duchess' expression softened, much to the boy's relief. She shot him another smile before turning her attention back to the book on her lap.

Seconds of silence passed. Roxas fidgeted in his seat, wondering what he should say or do next. He didn't want to attract unnecessary attention, but he didn't want to come off as someone who was disinterested in the entire situation either. In the end, he decided to ask about this young woman he was supposed to meet.

"Y-your Grace, um, regarding your daughter, Serah" Roxas began, causing the Duchess to look back up at him, "I heard rumors that she fell terribly ill in her youth. May I ask if those rumors are true? Perhaps it would help me understand her situation a little better" he reasoned.

The Duchess gave him a strange look "Yes, those rumors are true. But she has always been sickly, so that is nothing new. As I said, she is a very delicate case. Her immune system has improved over the years as she grew older, but we are still very careful with her" the Duchess explained.

Before the two could further their conversation, they heard two pairs of footsteps approach. Both turned to see two figures emerge from the hallway. There was Claire, closely being followed by a shorter, thinner, and more fragile-looking individual. Roxas focused his attention on the Marchioness' oddly-dressed companion. From what he could make out, this person was a female. She was wearing a black dress that extended all the way down to her toes; but what really made her appearance stand out was the thick, black veil that was covering her entire head.

Roxas' eyes widened. This must be Serah Farron.

So what his mother said was true. She did wear a veil to conceal her face. A wave of curiosity washed over him and he found himself wondering what the silky, black piece of cloth could be hiding.

The blond stood from his seat and walked over to the mysterious figure. Now that he was closer, he was able to observe that he was at least a head taller than she was. He bowed then reached for her hand—her skin was incredibly soft and smooth—and pressed a gentle kiss above her knuckles. "Good day, My Lady. I am Roxas Helterbrand, the Earl of Remington, and the youngest son of Tidus and Yuna Helterbrand. It is a pleasure to meet you" he recited before letting go. The veiled Farron simply curtsied in acknowledgement. She then walked over to the sofa seat across him and sat down.

"I shall take my leave now, Mother. I still have some paperwork to finish" the Marchioness declared.

The Duchess nodded and stood from her seat "And I as well. Serah, dear, call for a servant once you are done with your talk; it would be rude to let the Earl leave without an escort" With that, both the Marchioness and the Duchess left the parlour, leaving Roxas alone with the younger Farron.

Silence reigned once again. Roxas chewed on his lower lip, unsure of what to do next. He certainly wasn't as outgoing as his older brother, Sora, but he did know how to start and hold a conversation. He was a noble after all. However, starting and holding a conversation with a girl he barely knew that was supposed to be his potential fiancée was just a little too far outside his range of skills. He let out a quiet sigh. This was one of the reasons why he disliked arranged marriages.

A few seconds later, the young man sucked it up. He decided that if he was here to get to know her better, then he might as well get on with it.

"I hope you're doing well, My Lady. I am here since…ah, our families want us to get acquainted with each other" Roxas finished, inwardly cringing at how awkward and stupid he sounded. He glanced at the young woman dressed in all black and focused his gaze on the thick black veil hiding her face from view.

"I know" he heard a gentle voice reply. The blond blinked. Her voice was…soft, sweet, gentle, and so undeniably…feminine. He began to wonder what kind of face went along with such a pleasant voice. "Mama said that we may get married" she paused. He remained silent, letting her voice her thoughts out. "I don't know why you would want to marry me. We've never even met. But Mama said that you're a nice young man and that you'd treat me well, so…" she trailed.

Roxas was taken aback by her words. He knew his mother put in a good word from him, but he didn't expect the Duchess to believe any of it. He thought the Duchess would warn her daughter and ask her to be weary around him. Instead, not only did she believe whatever 'endorsements' his mother pitched, but she also told her own daughter about it.

He shot her a small smile "I will certainly do so to the best of my abilities" he answered. The veiled woman didn't say anything, so he continued "My mother wants me to get married. I was asked to choose among three different households. I chose yours since the other two…one is quite younger than me and the other fancies a close friend of mine" Roxas felt like it was only right for him to tell her why he chose her and her family. He didn't want her to think that he had some kind of ulterior motive, regardless of whether or not she thinks he's actually 'nice' as she had said moments ago. "That doesn't mean that you are a last resort, of course" he quickly added "Mama was just constantly nagging me to at least meet someone. She actually almost throttled me the last time we talked about my future"

Gentle laughter filled the room. "I see. I honestly do not wish to get married either" Roxas' eyes widened. He was shocked yet grateful of how honest she was being. Her voice suddenly became shaky "I am frail and weak as I sicken easily. Whoever becomes my spouse will have to shoulder the burden of caring for me. I am already enough trouble for my family – I do not want anyone else to suffer the same fate" the blond's heart clenched. She tried keeping her voice neutral, but the sadness in her tone was too apparent. For some reason, he felt her gaze on her. He didn't know why since her face was obviously hidden from his view, but he felt like she was staring right at him. "If I do marry, it would have to be for love, and love alone. I do not wish to marry someone who only wants me for my money and would ignore me as soon as he has access to my inheritance. That being said, I do hope that you are not that kind of person" she continued.

"No, I certainly am not" he immediately replied. She laughed, but it was the kind of laugh that was simply endearing. He really hoped that she believed him. He wasn't out for her money. No. Not at all. He was a zillion times better than that. "May I ask you a question though, My Lady?" she nodded "Why do you wear a veil indoors?"

She remained silent for a moment as she thought her words over "To conceal my face, of course" she answered and he could practically hear the smile in her voice "Remember that I hope to find someone who would marry me for love? I thought that hiding my face would help with that. That way, you would be able to know me through my words and deeds, and not by my appearance. Also, since I rarely leave the house due to my weak constitution, I am not used to letting others see my face. This makes me…comfortable around people I do not know well"

He nodded. "Ah…I see" he murmured. He supposed that there really was no "clever" way to ask her about what she looked like. But if they did end up getting along well, then her appearance wouldn't be a concern at all. He smiled to himself. Her logic and her overall approach made sense. "Very well, then let us move on, My Lady. May I ask if you have any interest in opera? There will be a ballad opera performance next week, a rendition of a classic by John Gay—The Beggar's Opera. I have two box seat tickets for the show. I was supposed to give the other to a friend of mine, but if you are interested, perhaps you would like to go with me?" he offered.

Another moment of silence passed before she nodded, her veil swaying gently from her movements "All right. I am quite fond of watching performances like plays, musicals, and dramas. Shame that I am not always able to attend such events due to my poor health" she answered with a laugh. Roxas had to admit that he was quickly becoming fond of the sound. "Are you certain that you wish to go with me, though?" she asked nervously "If it's too much trouble for you…"

Roxas frowned "Of course I wish to, My Lady. Why would it be any trouble? If you are worried about your health, please don't. I understand that you are more fragile than most. I will look after you as best as I can—I promise you that" he said with determination. He meant what he said; he would really take care of her in the best way that he can. He never breaks his promises—it was a Helterbrand thing. To his relief, she nodded. He smiled at her. "What are some of your other interests, My Lady? Perhaps we have more in common that we may talk about" he asked.

Their conversation lasted for a few more hours.

* * *

The day of the showing of the ballad opera performance Roxas had invited Serah to watch with him came along. This marked their third meeting. The first was a week ago when they first met. The second was three days after that, when Roxas decided to visit the younger Farron in her family estate again. They talked even longer then, touching on light but enjoyable topics that helped them find out more about each other. Today though, they were out together again, but this time, they weren't confined to the Farron Estate.

Roxas stepped out of the carriage first. Afterwards, he turned towards the interior of the carriage and offered his hand to the other passenger inside. Moments later, he felt a slender, gloved hand rest atop his palm. He closed his fingers around the said hand and gently pulled to assist its owner out of the carriage.

"Thank you" Serah said after exiting the carriage. The blond simply smiled at her in response. She was still wearing the thick black veil he saw when they first met a week ago. She was still also dressed in all black but this time, her dress was slightly longer, and she wore a thick coat along with her outfit to protect her from the cold. She even wore a pair of gloves that extended all the way up to her elbows to warm herself further.

"Shall we, My Lady?" he asked as he held out his arm for her to take. He stared at her veil, right at the spot where her eyes would be. His companion nodded and hooked her arm around his.

They made their way inside the opera house. The ballad opera they were scheduled to watch was one of the most popular plays in the entire continent, meaning the place was more than packed with people who wanted to witness such a fine piece of literary excellence. The crowd of people around them increasingly thickened as they walked to their seats. Roxas made sure to keep a close eye on Serah amidst all the unintentional bumps and mumbled apologies. He was careful to maneuver her along and around the crowd of people, and a few times even used his own body to shield her from making contact with random people who otherwise would've bumped into her.

A few minutes later, they finally made it to their seats. They had some of the best seats in the theatre; they weren't far from the stage, and there was a nearby exit to their right. They settled themselves down and began talking as they waited for the show to begin.

"I hope you don't mind the large crowd, My Lady. The opera house is always full when favorites are being shown" Roxas started apologetically.

"Oh, not at all" Serah shook her head "The Beggar's Opera is a spectacular work by one of the more…well, 'recognized' dramatists in our region. It's no surprise that so many would come to watch a rendition of an already well-known play" she laughed "I remember the first time my family and I watched this particular opera. My sister was quite displeased with the violent and satirical undertones of the piece, even going as far as calling it an "insult to all nobles". She made it a point to identify all seventy-six 'logical inconsistencies' of the play. Father only shook his head at her in amusement, but Mama kept glaring at her until we returned home"

He smiled, partly because of her anecdote, and partly because of how endearing she sounded. Despite wearing a thick veil to conceal her face from view, she wasn't shy at all. She was honest, direct, and just…genuine. It was really refreshing for him to spend time with someone who didn't let her noble status hold her back from showing her true colors.

"I didn't expect the Marchioness to behave in such a way, especially in a public setting" he remarked.

"That's Claire for you" he could practically hear her smiling "She can be very rigid at times, but she means well"

"Perhaps that's one of the reasons why she is one of the most feared and respected figures in the continent. She is very dedicated to whatever it is she sets her eyes on. Her persistence is truly something else" Roxas added.

"I agree. However, do you really mean those words, Earl? Or are you saying that simply because she is my sister and I have the ability to unleash her fury on you?" Serah suddenly asked.

Roxas' eyes widened. He shook his head frantically "N-no, no, o-of course not, My Lady! I do mean those words. What I say and do has no bearing on your sister or any of your family members for that matter. I would never do such a thing"

He could feel cold sweat forming on his forehead. Had he messed up? Had he initiated the counted to his demise? Oh no…he was going to suffer the most painful death possible, that was for sure. Serah's older sister would probably shoot him a few times with her Flintlocks before stabbing him right through his chest with her saber. Her mother, the Duchess, would most likely put an arrow or two between his eyes. And of course her father, the Duke, would surely axe him in half horizontally then vertically.

He shuddered. Sure, Edgar Allan Poe was one of his favorite writers, but that didn't mean he wanted first-hand experience in real-life situations that would be right up the macabre enthusiast's alley.

The veiled Farron remained silent in her seat. Roxas unconsciously encased the arm rest of his seat in a death grip. He was never going to live this down. If by the slight chance he survives the wrath of the Farrons, he would still have to deal with his mother's rod and his father's longsword. His older brother might even chime in with his own key-shaped blade. One thing was for sure—he was a very, very dead man.

His companion giggled and eventually erupted in laughter. She raised a gloved hand to cover the lower part of her veil in a pitiful attempt to maintain her composure. Roxas stared at her as if she'd gone mad. What was so funny about this?

"Oh, Earl, you should've seen your face. Relax, I was only joking. I know you would never speak ill of anyone in my family, much less my older sister" she tried to stifle her laughter, but her chortles only increased in volume. "Don't worry. No one will harm you for my sake. But really, your face was quite the sight. Who knew that the Earl of Remington was capable of wearing a facial expression like that?" she added another teasing remark for good measure.

Heeding Serah's words, Roxas calmed himself down. He narrowed his eyes playfully at her, smiling as he did so. While he almost had the scare of his life, he had to admit that seeing the younger Farron in her current playful, teasing, and borderline mischievous state was…uplifting. From listening to her stories, he gathered that she was someone who didn't go outside of the house much. As a result, she also didn't have that many people to talk with as she grew up. One might peg her for someone who is shy, reticent, and even non-confrontational, but he was pleased to see that at the very least he was getting to know more about her.

"I'll have you know that I have a wide array of facial expressions in my repertoire, Lady Farron" Serah snickered at the nickname, causing the blond to beam at her "How can I not when I have possibly the 'goofiest' nobleman alive for an older brother. I have witnessed him do things that would surely give anyone's forehead a good workout"

"It's not very nice to say that about your older brother, you know" Serah responded, but the amusement in her voice was more than noticeable "Is he really as you say, though? From what I know, the Earl of Stalwart is a very honorable man. I find it difficult to picture him as someone…'goofy' as you say" she wondered.

"He is indeed a very honorable man. He is a genuinely good person; he is kind, brave, smart, and humble. He is also one of the best swordsmen in the country, and in my opinion, even in the entire world" he answered with a proud smile. Then his smile became crooked "But even so, he has a rather silly side to him. Others say it makes him likeable. His wife says it makes him endearing. But to me, it just makes him a 'goofball' as some kids would like to say"

"I see. I would say the same about my sister. Believe it or not, Claire also has a mischievous side. It may be hard to imagine, but I've been around her long enough to conclude so. Although I wouldn't call her a…'goofball'; she can just be a little too playful on certain occasions" Serah followed up.

"Oh? I suppose that's to be expected. The Marchioness is simply too refined to be as silly as my brother"

Serah nodded with a chuckle "If the Earl of Stalwart is really as silly as you describe him to be, then I agree. We are talking about Claire, after all"

The two continued to talk, enjoying each other's company. They only stopped when the theatre was filled and the show began. They spent the next hour and a half watching the play, both of them completely engrossed in the opera performance. As the show went on they would exchange side comments on a number of particular scenes that caught their attention, even sharing a few giggles while they were at it.

The highlight of their sideline bickering reached its peak during one scene in Act II where Captain Macheath was wrangled to the floor by Jenny Diver and Suky Tawdry. The actresses who played the roles of the two women were a lot more…'plumpy' than the playwright originally intended, hence the poor actor who played as Captain Macheath was almost crushed to a pulp when they enacted the scene. Serah then wondered out loud if witnessing a similar type of situation was what led to the formulation of Rittinger's claims on size reduction. Her comment made Roxas burst out in laughter. The blond received a healthy chorus of shushes not a second later as a result. He bit his lip to silence himself, but his entire body shook with laughter as he did not expect his companion to make such a weird yet highly scientific remark.

The show eventually ended. When it was time to leave, Roxas stood from his seat and offered Serah his hand. She nodded gratefully at him before taking his hand and standing up. They hooked their arms together and headed for the nearest exit. On their way out, they again encountered a large crowd of people as they did when they first entered the opera house. And again, Roxas made sure that Serah was safe from any unnecessary contact with some unsuspecting stranger.

A short while later, the two reached the exit. They were pleasantly surprised to see that their carriage was already outside, waiting for them to return. They got inside the carriage and signaled the driver to begin the journey home. Since she was technically his guest, Roxas instructed the driver to head to the Farron Estate first to drop Serah off.

Inside the carriage, the two continued their pleasant conversation. They talked about a variety of topics spanning from impressions on the performance they just saw to some of their childhood memories associated with other performances/shows. Laughter echoed around them as they recounted some of the funnier experiences they've had in the past with their families.

Close to half an hour later, they arrived at the Farron Estate.

"We've arrived at our destination, Sire" the driver informed them.

Roxas, who was still in the middle of laughing from one of Serah's stories, clutched his stomach as he forced himself to stop. Serah was in not much better shape. The veiled Farron had a hand covering the lower part of her veil as she held in her giggles, her lithe frame still trembling with laughter. A few seconds later, both were able to steady themselves.

Roxas heaved a sigh before turning to Serah with a grin on his face "Shall we, My Lady?" he asked.

"Y-yes, please" Serah stammered as the last of her chortles subsided.

The blond got out of the carriage first then offered his hand to his companion to assist her in doing the same. Afterwards he walked her to the door of her family estate. They remained in comfortable silence as they walked; a stark but welcome contrast to their exchange-filled afternoon.

When they reached the large marble doors of the Farron Estate, the door opened to reveal a servant. The servant greeted them with a bow before stepping aside, waiting for her youngest mistress to enter her home.

Serah turned to the blond beside her, her dress and veil rustling as she did so. Roxas caught the movement from the corner of his eye and turned to face her in response.

"I had a really wonderful time, Earl. Thank you for inviting me to watch that opera performance with you. It's been quite a while since I last witnessed any kind of theatrical play" Serah thanked in that sweet, melodious voice of hers. She then curtsied at him out of respect and gratitude.

Roxas smiled at her and gave her a polite bow "It was my pleasure, My Lady. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself. I must say that I had an excellent time with you as well. However, I'm afraid I must take my leave now. Please rest well. I'm sure it's been a rather exhausting day for you. Until the next time, My Lady"

"Until the next time, Earl" she chorused, then turned and walked towards the interior of her abode. But just as she was about to enter her family estate, she stopped in her tracks. "Oh, and Earl," she began.

Roxas focused his attention back to her as a result "Yes, My Lady?"

Serah didn't turn around, choosing to keep her back to him. Her voice softened more than usual as she spoke "Please take care going home"

Roxas' lips cracked into another smile "Of course, My Lady"

With that, she resumed her steps. Once she was inside, the servant by the door bowed at him and slowly closed the doors to the gigantic residence.

Roxas shook off the stupid grin on his face and headed back to the carriage. He entered and instructed the driver to head for home.

"William, let's return to the manor"

"At once, Sire" the driver responded and willed the horses to begin moving once again. As they began their journey back home, he turned to his master and spoke "You seemed to have quite the day, Sire"

Roxas couldn't fight the satisfied smile on his lips as he answered "Indeed I have, William, indeed I have"

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed that. Please leave a review; constructive criticism is always appreciated! It was a really long chapter, but I couldn't find a way around it since most of the world-building/situation-setting took place here. As I mentioned in the title, I plan to make this a three-shot, so if you guys liked this chapter, stay tuned for the next two. I'm not sure when I'll be able to update with school going on and all, but rest assured that I've already thought out how I want to finish this fic. Thank you for reading and see you later!**


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